How To Lay A Flat Roof

The best time to lay a felt roof using cold applied adhesive is when the weather is warm but this means that working on a flat roof can be exhausting work with the sun s heat and the heat.

How to lay a flat roof. The traditional metal roof types such as 5v crimp shown above and corrugated are rated by the manufacturers for use down to a 3 12 pitch three inches of vertical rise for every foot of horizontal run. Yet for historic modern style buildings like this old house s cambridge tv project flat roofs are at the core of the architecture meant to reflect the broad horizontal lines of the natural landscape. Two layered felts are used. Step 1 prep work.

Align the bottom so its parallel to the bottom length of the roof. For first time homeowners it s typical to hire a professional contractor who can complete the flat roof installation for you and offer a full warranty for their work. Of course you don t need to live in a modern house to deal with a flat roof. Full replacement or over boarding of a roof deck.

Remember the best way to roof a flat roof or low pitch roof is to use a modified self adhesive roll out roofing material. The topmost cap sheet mineral finish will protect from harmful uv rays of the sun. Laying down felt on a flat roof is an easy and effective way to improve the strength and durability of an outdoor structure like a garage or shed. Estimate to pay from 120 including vat for this job.

While laying felt is not an easy job it can be done by anyone who has the patience to deal with it. Flip the topmost piece of the epdm material downward across the length of the roof. Much like torch down with a fibrous base nailed rather than stapled this roof material is laid out in lengths and has a self adhesive backing for securing it in place. Laying a felt roof is hard manual work which once started needs to be finished you cannot leave it halfway through to come back to in a couple of weeks.

For homes these three layers are used and for garages sheds etc. Unless the flat roof is a new build you will be replacing an existing flat roof normally a felt roof such as built up bitumen or asphalt. Flat roofs aren t architecturally logical as rain and snow will shed much more quickly off a sloped roof. Open the epdm square vertically along the length of the roof.

A gas torch is used to lay the felt on the flat roof. By placing three even layers of felt and taking great care that there is enough overlap and that any seams don t create a straight line you can ensure that your flat roof will be optimally. As described earlier these substances are a contaminate to the glues used in epdm and the membrane itself with direct long term contact. Afterward flip the next topmost piece upward.

Check to ensure the roof is in good enough condition to walk over. Lay down the square folded epdm material in the center of your flat roof.